*28.02 21:30 With Pre-Screening Sharing (Hosted by filmmaker TENG Kun-hou)
Set in 18th-century France, Marianne, a young painter, is commissioned to paint a wedding portrait of a young noblewoman and reluctant bride-to-be, Héloïse. Knowing that Héloïse has just come out of a convent and has previously refused to sit for portraits, Marianne disguises herself as the lady’s companion by day to paint her portrait from memory by night. As the two become closer, they ignite in each other feelings that are passionate yet forbidden.
Dir. Céline SCIAMMA
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Recommendation
A visual and emotional tour de force. I first watched it on a long-haul flight; even on a tiny screen, I was deeply moved by the restrained yet burning passion between the leads. I’ll never forget sitting there in the dim light, tears falling while every other passenger was asleep. Having seen it twice more in the cinema since, the film’s emotional resonance only deepens with every discovered nuance. It offers a visceral experience that lingers in the heart—a haunting masterpiece that remains as heart-wrenching as it was at first sight.
Recommender Profile
TENG Kun-hou
A Macao native, TENG holds a BA in Communication Arts from Fu Jen Catholic University and graduated from the director group of the master's class of the Department of Filmmaking of Taipei University of the Arts. He is currently on a journey to becoming a true "film boy."